The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-03-24

and soft and easy, what would we want OF
heaven. You think that the hollow tree
sends the hornet, or you think the devil sends
the hornet, want to correct your opinion,
The Lord sent the hornet,
Then also think these annoyances come
upon us to culture our patience, In the
gymnasium you find upright parallel bars
bars with holes over each other forpegs to be
put in, Then the gymnast takes "A peg in
each hand and he begins TO climb, one Inch at
a time, or two inches, and, getting hisstrenGth
cultured, reaches after awhile the ceiling.
and it seems TO me that these annoy
ances in life are q moral gymnasium, each
worry peg by which we are to
climb higher and higher in Christian
attachments. We all love to SEQ patience,
but it cannot be cultured in fair weather. 1t
is child of the storm Ifyou had everything
desirable and there was nothing more to get
what would you want with patience! The
only time to culture it is when you are SIAN
dered and cheated, and sick and half dead
"Oh,n you say, ''if l only had the circum-
stances of some well-to-do man l would be
patient too" You might as well say: III 1t
were not for this water would swim;h or,
81 could shoot this gun il it were not for the
caps When you stand chin deep in annoy
ances is the time for you TO swim out toward
the great headlands of Christian attainment,
and whom your life is loaded to the muzzie
with repulSive annoyances-th is the time
to draw the trigger. Nothing but the furnace
will ever burn out of us the clinker and the
Stag, have formed this theory in regard to
small anoyances and vexations. II takes
Just SO much trouble to fit us for usefulness
ana Tor heaven. Tho only question is,
whether we shall take it in the bulk, or pull
verified and granulated, Here is one man
who takes it in the bulk, His back il
broken, or his eyesight put out, or some
other awful calamity befalls him; while
the vast majority Of people take the thing
piecemeal Which way would you rather
have it! OF course in piecemeal. Better have
five aching teeth than one broken jaw. Better
ten fly-bisters than an amputation. Better
twenty squalls than one cyclone. There may
be difference of opinion as TO allopathy and
homeopathy; but in this matter of trouble
| like homeopathic doses-small pellets OF
annoyance rather than some knock-down dose
of calamity. Instead of the thunderbolt give
lis the hornet If you have bank you would
a great deal rather that fifty men should come
in with checks less than hundred dollars
than to have two depositors come in the same
day each wanting his ten thousand dollars.
In this latter case, YOU cough and look down
at the floor and up at the ceiling before you
look into the safe. Now, my friends,
would you not rather have these small
drafts Of annoyance on your bank of faith
ttldll SOllle dll-SttigStfllS upoh ypui
endurance? | want to make you so strong,
that you will not surrender to small annoy
ances In the village of Hamelin, tradition
says, there was an invasion of rats, and these
small creatures almost devoured the town
and threatened the lives of the population,
and the story is that a piper came out one
day and played a very sweet tune, and all
the vermin followed him-folowed him to
the banks of the Weser, and then he blew
blast and they dropped in and disappeared
forever. OF course this is a fable, but wish
| could, on the sweet flute of the Gospel, draw
forth all the nibbling and burrowing annoy
ance of your life, and play them down into
depths forever How many touches did the
artist give to his picture of "Cotopaxi," or his
Heart of the Andes" | suppose about o.
600 touches. | hear the canvas saying:
"Why do you keep me trembling with
that pencil SO long! Why don't you put it on
in one dash!' NO says the artist Il know
how to make painting; it will take fifty
thousand of these touches" And | want you,
my friends, to understand that it is these ten
thousand annoyances which, under God, are
making up the picture of your life, to be hung
at last in the galleries of heaven, fit for angels
to look at. God knows how to make picture
go into a sculptor's studio, and see him
shaping a statue He has chisel in one
hand and a mallet in the other, and he gives
a very gentle stroke-click, click, click! |
say: "Why don't you strike harder" OH
he replies, that would shatter the statue |
can't do it that way; | must do it this way. y
So he works on, and after awhile the feat
ures come out, and everybody that en-
ters the studio is charmed and fascinated
Well, Col has your soul un1er process Of de-
velopment, and it is the little annoyances and
vexations of life that are chscling out your
immortal nature. 1t is click, click, click |
wonder why SOME great providence does not
come, and with one stroke prepare you for
heaven. All, no: God says that Is not the
way. And so he keeps on by strokes of little
vexations, until at last you shall be glad
spectacle for angels and for men. You know
that q large fortune may be spent i'll
small change, and vast amount of moral
character may go away in small depletion.
1t is the little troubles of life that are having
more effect upon you than great ones. A
swarm Of locusts will kill grain field sooner
than the incursion Of three or four cattle.
You say: "5ince l lost my child, since l lost
my property, have been different man.
But you do not recognize the archItec-
ture of little annoyances that are hewing dig
ging, cutting, shaping, splitting ard III
terJoinlng your moral qualities. One luclfer
match may send destruction through block
of storehouses. Catharine de Medicis got her
death from smelling a poisonous rose. Column
bus, by stopping and asking for piece OF
bread and drink of water at a franciscan
convent, was led to the discovery of new
world. And there is an intimate connection
between trifles and immensities, between
uothings and everythings,
Now, be careful to let none Of those annoy
ances go through your soul unarraigned
| Compel them to administer to your spiritua
wealth. The scratch of sixpenny-nail some
| times produces lock-jaw, and the clip of g
most infintesimal annoyance may damage YOU
| forever. Do not let any annoyance or per
| plexity come across your soul without Its
making you better.
Our National Government does not think
it belttling to put tax on pins, and tax on
buckles, and tax on shoes. The individual
taxes do not amount to much, but in the ag-
gregate to millions and millions of dollars
| And would have you, Oh Christian man
| put high tariff on every annoyance and
| vexation that comes through your soul. This
might not amount to much in single cases, but
| in the aggregate it would be great revenue OF
| spiritual strength and satisfaction. A bee
| can suck honey even out of a nettle; and II
you have the grace of God in your heart, you
can get sweetness out of that which would
otherwise irritate and annoy. A returned
missionary told me that a company of adj
| venturers rowing up the Ganges were stung
to death by flies that infest that region at
| certain seasons. | have seen the earth strewed
with the carcasses of men slain by insect an
noyances The only way to get prepared fol
the great troubles of life is to conquer these
small troubles What would you say of q
soldier who refused to load his gun, or to &c
into the conflict because it was only a Skin
mish, saying: II am not going to ex
pend my ammunition on a skirmish
wait until there comes genera
engagement, and then you will SCI
how courageous l am, and what battling
will doF' The General would say to such {
man: 'If you are not faithful in skirmish
you would be nothing in general engage
ment." And / have to tell you, o Christian
men, if you cannot apply the principles o.
Christ's religion on small scale, you will
never be able to apply them on large
| scale
If [ had my way with YOU l would hav,
you possess all possible worldly prosperity.
would have you each one a garden-a rive
flowing through it, geraniums and shrubs OF
the sides, and the grass and flowers as beauti
| full as though the rainbow had fallen Iwoult
have you house, splendid mansion, and tn,
bed should be covered with upholstery dipped
in the setting SUM- l would have every
hall in your house set with statues ant
statuetteS, and then would have the foul
quarters of the globe pour in all their luxurie
on your table and you should have forks o